๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $527 in Ahmedabad versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $803 in Ahmedabad versus $2,158 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,079 in Ahmedabad versus $3,054 in Playa del Carmen.
๐Living in Ahmedabad costs roughly 58% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐Both cities sit below the global median: Ahmedabad61% lower, Playa del Carmen6% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Ahmedabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.55โน330
$11.61MX$201
-69.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.54โน1,535
$42.75MX$742
-61.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.58โน425
$10.60MX$184
-56.79%
Cappuccino
$2.12โน197
$3.59MX$62.3
-40.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48โน44.47
$1.45MX$25.21
-66.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15โน14.01
$0.90MX$15.58
-83.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.40โน315
$3.03MX$52.6
12.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.69โน528
$4.56MX$79.2
24.78%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Ahmedabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.76โน70.2
$1.45MX$25.20
-47.59%
White Bread(500g)
$0.62โน57.4
$1.83MX$31.72
-66.12%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.82โน76.2
$1.61MX$27.92
-49.07%
Eggs
$1.09โน101
$2.54MX$44.05
-57.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.35โน590
$8.54MX$148
-25.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.83โน355
$8.47MX$147
-54.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$10.86MX$189
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.11โน196
$2.73MX$47.37
-22.71%
Banana(1kg)
$0.75โน69.8
$1.49MX$25.91
-49.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.34โน125
$1.94MX$33.73
-30.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.62โน57.4
$2.16MX$37.57
-71.30%
Potato(1kg)
$0.46โน42.41
$1.85MX$32.05
-75.14%
Onion(1kg)
$0.46โน42.54
$2.19MX$38.00
-79.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74โน68.3
$1.07MX$18.62
-30.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32โน29.25
$1.08MX$18.81
-70.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.17โน387
$4.06MX$70.5
2.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.76โน720
$10.46MX$182
-25.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.61โน242
$1.65MX$28.71
58.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82โน447
$2.55MX$44.23
89.02%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$6.36โน590
-
-
๐ Getting Around
Ahmedabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30โน28.02
$0.56MX$9.65
-46.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.40โน779
$26.20MX$455
-67.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.19โน111
$3.14MX$54.5
-62.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30โน27.92
$2.37MX$41.17
-87.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.36โน219
$3.24MX$56.2
-27.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.19โน110
$1.31MX$22.81
-9.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.9Kโน1.3M
$30.5KMX$530.2K
-54.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9Kโน2.3M
$23.8KMX$413.6K
4.48%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ahmedabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$58.8โน5,459
$83.1MX$1,443
-29.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.48โน416
$22.15MX$385
-79.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.49โน695
$29.37MX$510
-74.50%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Ahmedabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.95โน1,573
$51.2MX$889
-66.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.35โน868
$18.69MX$324
-49.97%
Cinema Ticket
$3.40โน315
$4.89MX$84.9
-30.47%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Ahmedabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$54.8โน5,084
$199MX$3,449
-72.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,696โน157.4K
$5,207MX$90.4K
-67.43%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Ahmedabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.73โน2,295
$35.93MX$624
-31.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.12โน2,331
$39.39MX$684
-36.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$54.0โน5,008
$80.3MX$1,394
-32.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$38.87โน3,607
$87.6MX$1,520
-55.61%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Ahmedabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$162โน15.0K
$963MX$16.7K
-83.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$126โน11.7K
$482MX$8,370
-73.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$377โน35.0K
$1,645MX$28.6K
-77.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239โน22.2K
$1,192MX$20.7K
-79.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$848โน78.7K
$3,957MX$68.7K
-78.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$588โน54.6K
$6,513MX$113.1K
-90.97%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Ahmedabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$472โน43.8K
$726MX$12.6K
-35.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.98
11.42
-21.37%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ahmedabad: April 12, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Ahmedabad and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐPlaya del Carmen pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $17 in Ahmedabad vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 vs $253 per month, with Ahmedabad cheaper across the board.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Ahmedabad vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ahmedabad and Playa del Carmen?
Ahmedabad and Playa del Carmen differ by about 140% in total monthly costs ($527 vs $1,262 including rent). Ahmedabad is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 54% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ahmedabad and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $162 in Ahmedabad versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ahmedabad and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $54.8 in Ahmedabad versus $199 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $527 in Ahmedabad versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ahmedabad but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ahmedabad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ahmedabad and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Ahmedabad or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Ahmedabad gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 140% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.